


Another Chance: Rebirth of Armitage Hux

by Carnival_Ivy



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Fix EP9, M/M, Rebirth, actually i want to fix everthing disney destroyed, the Empire won AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 10:47:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21848419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carnival_Ivy/pseuds/Carnival_Ivy
Summary: After a painful and shameful death, Armitage Hux found himself back to Zero Year and became a 6-month baby. He would try him best to change his fate.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Galen Erso/Orson Krennic, Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Darth Vader, Wilhuff Tarkin/Darth Vader
Comments: 18
Kudos: 83





	1. Return

**Author's Note:**

> I write this totally for myself to feel better, and Armie will revenge everyone who treats him badly.

Heavy snow like this should be unusual in Arkanis, especially in such a season. 

The weather is clear and invigorating yesterday. However, after suddenly a violent wind passed this plain and the starry sky was covered by clouds, big snowflakes fell. Only a few hours later, the whole plain was covered by a white wrap, and branches of trees became sliver ones.

“Such great snow.” When Armitage woke up, he heard a familiar voice, “Do you want to go outside, General Hux?”

General Hux? Armitage hesitated for a while, then he realized: it was not him, but the other General Hux.

His father.

“I’m willing to, but I got a bad cold.” A man’s voice came into Armitage’s ears. He quickly realized it was his father Brendol Hux. Different from his memory, Brendol sounded kind and gentle. “Besides, even I was healthy, I would not go out, because it’s too cold for me.”

The girl was disappointed. She came back to Brendol, and Armitage could see her face.

“Mommy?” Before he could realize what he said, Armitage heard his voice – a baby’s voice.

His mommy was shocked, “Armie called me!” She carried him in her arms, turned to the man in the bed, “He’s a clever boy! My mom told me I couldn’t say a word until my first birthday, but Armie is just 6-month old now!”

Just 6-month? Armitage fell into thinking: he seemed to return to the past for some unknown reason. He observed everything: his father was young, thin and sick, but far from the one in his mind, Brendol looked gentle and smiled in peace, and his mother – the cook girl seemed delighted and vigorous.

His stepmother (Armitage didn’t know how to call her because she was Brendol’s legal wife) didn’t appear at all. Another thing different from his mind, Armitage thought. He was told that his mother seduced his father, or his father forced his mother – he had never imagined they lived a happy life together.

In his last life, he was too young to remember whether he had a happy and peaceful childhood time – it was too early and too short. When he finally could remember something, Brendol was already cruel and furious.

Armitage could easily realize there must be something bad that happened and changed everybody’s life. He decided to find and prevent it silently in his mind, without making any noise.

He couldn’t help himself but thought: maybe this was the life that he should have owned: a gentle father and a kind mother, a peaceful childhood, a wonderful schooltime with good grades and a few friends, and a glorious career heritage from his father.

When remembering the First Order, he felt a little sorry to Brendol. Of course, he wanted to revenge to Kylo Ren, but he shouldn’t have destroyed the whole First Order as the cost. It was a hard work to establish an organization – not just an army – in the situation that Empire was already ruined, and they could only hide in the Unknown Space.

The First Order should have been his politic backup, but he didn’t understand it in his last life. Now since he had another chance, Armitage believed he would not make the same mistake. He would hold what he owned in his hand tightly.

And his father...

Armitage’s thought was interrupted by his father’s cough. “Please take Armie away from me, darling.” He smiled weakly, “I don’t want to infect him. Doctors said he is a delicate boy, so I don’t want to hurt him.”

“Yes, General Hux.” The girl giggled, putting Armitage back into his cradle, without noticing the baby’s eyes. They were blatic as clear lakes, but now they were much deeper than many adults. 

Armitage remembered his father shouted and abused him. However, when he saw this young Brendol, he rethought that as a parent, Brendol had never abandoned him no matter what they met. And although he was reluctant to admit, it was Brendol who taught him how to survive. Others, such as Snoke, only wanted to use him as a crazy dog.

For further reflection on the last time they spent with the other Hux, Armitage suddenly felt someone was sabotaging the relationship between him and Brendol. He guessed the man was Snoke, but there was no proof.

Snoke became Supreme Leader after Brendol’s death and he controlled the First Order. Then Armitage lost his independent power to rule the army, but only listened to Snoke’s order. So just for his interest, he couldn’t let Brendol died too early. Not until he learned everything from Brendol.

But what was the point? Armitage wondered.

“General Hux, a call from Director Krennic.” His mother carried the hologram to Brendol. “He has something important to tell you.”

Director Krennic? Who was Director Krennic? Armitage confused. He had no idea about this man. If he could talk to a general, this man should have been an important person in the imperial officer rank. However, he had never read or heard anything about Director Krennic.

He must be wiped out from history. Armitage thought. He had a feeling, neither good nor bad: this Director Krennic might be one of the most crucial keys to change his fate.

And more.


	2. The umbrella

“I want to see your baby!” Orson was excited in a hologram, “when the Death Star Project complete, will he go to the ceremony with you?”

“Orson,” Brendol’s voice sounded like he was teaching a young boy, “there is no Death Star, only Stardust.”

“You know the truth.” Orson complained, “sometimes I feel you are a younger Tarkin.”

“You should respect Governor Tarkin more.” Brendol said seriously, “None of us can keep our status and power without his support. What’s more, he tolerates Galen because of you. If I were you, I wouldn’t irritate him to avoid Governor Tarkin venting his anger to Galen.”

Armitage listened quietly, catching a lot of information from their dialogue: first, this Director Krennic was the man managing the Death Star Project; second, Brendol could reach top secrets in the Empire; third, Galen was an important man to Krennic; the last and the most important, Tarkin was his father’s umbrella. 

Memory flooded into Armitage’s brain. At the age of fourteen or fifteen in his last life, Brendol talked to him patiently – different from what he usually was in Armitage’s mind – and seriously, “Wars are the continuation of politics. If you want to beat someone, try to find their umbrella first.”

Now Armitage realized his father was teaching him the core of the political conflict. He so regretted that he didn’t pay more attention to what his father taught him. Luckily, he had a new begin of life.

How many people could rise again after losing their umbrella? Only his father, Armitage thought. Surprisingly, he found himself was a little proud of Brendol. However, it was obvious that if Brendol had never lost his umbrella, he might not be so crazy and furious.

Armitage decided to try.

Suddenly, he burnt out a loud cry in the cradle. His mother ran to him, holding him in her arms: “Are you hungry, Armie? Or do you want to change baby diapers?”

“No, I want to see Brendol and tell him to be careful of Death Star.” Armitage tried a lot, but his unskilled mouth and vocal cords could only make some single-syllable word: “D - de - de -”

“Daddy? Are you calling your daddy?” She misunderstood what he wanted to say. Armitage showed the white of his eyes, but he could do nothing. His mother was holding him in front of Brendol: “Sir, Armie is calling you.”

“He is so adorable!” Orson saw him in the hologram, “and I like his name, so cute!”

“D - de - de –” Armitage shouted in anxious, but nobody even understood a little bit from his drabbled words. He was so disappointed, without a useful idea. Brendol gave his mother and him a short smile, “I heard it. Armie is a smart boy.” Then he coughed violently. “Sorry, but I need to have a rest. Now, hold on Orson, let’s continue the discussion. ”

It was a good chance for Armitage to think about the next step. How could he transfer information through an infant’s body? And even though he told them the Death Star had an Achilles' heel successfully, how could he, a baby, get their trust?

He focused on Brendol and Orson’s dialogue, sinking himself into it. Director Orson Krennic heard reckless. His talking speed was fast with a strange accent, which made him always sounded angry. His father Brendol, on the other hand, was the opposite of Orson. He was calm, patient, logical, giving his wise advice.

It seemed like the Death Star’s explosion changed everything. Since Brendol knew and joined the project, he might be influenced by it and lost part of his power and status. Armitage remembered in his last life; his childhood was full of escape. They had to cringle the owner of star destroyers to take them to leave together instead of caught by Rebellion.

It must be tortured for a proud man to beg. When realizing this, Armitage fell dejected. He glanced at his father. What he saw was a young general with a promised career as himself. But he knew, after four or five years, Brendol would become intemperate, depressed and furious.

And he had the same feeling after his commanding rights were taken away when Pryde appeared. Armitage had no doubts that he would be a man like Brendol at last.

Brendol finished the communication between him and Orson. He put on his coat and walked to Armitage’s cradle. Armitage pretended sleeping, opening his eyes a narrow seam to observe.

He never imagined his father smiled to him, said quietly but irresistibly, “I’ll protect you to survive,” he said, “no matter what I’ll pay.”

Brendol was wondering why a drop of tear of his baby feel as if this little boy could understand what he said. But he only tucked Armitage with a soft quilt, “have a good dream, my darling.”


	3. Way to communicate

Once you could only eat and sleep, days would become long and boring. Nevertheless, Armitage enjoyed his life now. This house was Brendol’s style: classical furniture and decorates, not too luxury or too plain. Behind the house was a garden, full of flowers. Those Arkanis lotuses bloomed on the frozen lake, and the whole family went out to watch the beautiful scenery.

“He will be a man like you one day, General Hux.” His mother smiled softly, humming a simple but cute tune. Brendol was silent for a while, “No, I hope not. It’s not the best choice for Armie.”

Maybe not, but it would be the option that maximized his interest. Armitage pretended to sleep in his mother’s arms, waiting for a chance that Brendol would study the drawings of the Death Star. He tested his pronunciation these days to find what he could say, and today, thanked that Director Krennic, he could start his plan.

In his last life, the Rebellion regarded family Erso as their hero, and Armitage remembered that father’s name was Galen Erso, a scientist responsible for the Death Star's Laser Cannon Array, leaving an exhaust pipe from the Kyber core straight to space. If it was Director Krennic who promoted this traitor, it would make sense that why he was wiped from the Empire’s history – even though he wasn’t disloyal to the Empire, he was so negligent to cause such a loss.

“Armie is sleeping. Let’s came into the room.” Brendol touched his frozen red nose. “I’m so cold. I don’t know why we went out before.”

“Not because Grand Admiral Thrawn posted a photo of the same lotuses on social media?”

“Thank you to remind me that,” Brendol complained, but he was not really angry. “I’ll contact with Thrawn after meeting Orson. Sometimes I feel they are both a little childish.”

“I don’t know politics well, but I do know a person like you is rare to see, General Hux.” The girl put on a coat for him, “I’ll take Armie to the baby room.”

No! Armitage climbed to hug Brendol, refusing to leave his father. Brendol smiled, “You wanna see your uncle Orson? OK, you can go with me.”

“I don’t want to see him. I just want to ensure you won’t be involved in any storm.” Armitage answered in his mind quietly, but only nodded to answer his father.

“Well, you are just an infant, even though the strictest ISB officer won’t say anything to you.” Brendol carried him softly, taking Armitage to the shuttle. Armitage stared at the view out the window, watching the reflection on the glass, in front of the blue and white light.

He found his heritage the same eyes from his father.

The destination was Scarif, a beautiful planet, with sapphire sea and pure white sand. The sky was azure, and the sunlight was bright. Orson Krennic was already waiting for them. Death troopers guarded him, setting his white cape more conspicuous.

“Brendol! Why didn’t you mention you’ll take this cute baby with you!” Orson ran to them. He was very interested in Armitage, “What’s his name? I heard you called him Armie, is it a whole name?”

“Armitage Hux.” Brendol answered. He sounded like talking to a younger brother, patient, and kind. “Which means recluse.” They walked to the tower when talking to each other, and Armitage was searching for the memory of Scarif.

When he could remember things, there was already no Scarif. Armitage went to many planets to search the data of the Death Star for the Starkiller. He knew Eadu and Geonosis, but where was Scarif?

Then Armitage realized: this planet might be wiped out with Orson Krennic.

Now they went into the core of this data tower. In an elevator, Armitage saw the black disks storing the data neatly arranged in columns. It might - just - be useful to me, he thought.

Orson Krennic called up the Death Star data and showed the hologram to Brendol. He wanted to persuade Brendol so that he would support this project rather than Thrawn’s Tie fighters. “Tarkin…Governor Tarkin regarded your opinion as to the most important one except Lord Vader’s, please help me, Brendol.”

Without any moment to be shocked by his father’s position, Armitage pointed the hologram Death Star, “Boom! Boom!”

“Yes, it can destroy a whole planet!” Orson talked to Armitage excitedly. Armitage was so anxious to cry. He shouted, “Boom! Boom! Boom!”

“My son wants to say something.” Brendol stopped Orson and stared at Armitage, a strange feeling risen in his mind, “Death Star can fire and cause a big explosion. Do you know that?”

Armitage nodded, but continued saying, “Boom!” Brendol guessed, “you mean, the Death Star will explode?”

Armitage nodded again, and the two high-rank officers glanced the other quickly. Orson asked firstly, “Do you believe him? He’s only a baby, and we have already checked the construction.”

“He’s my son Orson, I know him.” Brendol answered and turned to Armitage, “Papa needs to talk to you, let’s go home.”


	4. Traitor

Armitage felt sleepy. It was one of many disadvantages of this little body that he was more easily to be tired. That Director Krennic said, “To be honest, I think this is just a coincidence. You are not a clever boy, aren’t you? So how can Armie get the talent of engineering or science? He can’t heritage it from you or learn it from someone!”

“Maybe it’s not a technology problem,” Brendol answered. “Armie did try to tell me something.” He recalled the memory a few days ago, “He called me dad, dad…maybe he didn’t call me. He was calling Death Star.”

Brendol controlled his voice to avoid heard by Orson. Armitage wanted to show his approval, but his eyes couldn’t open. He fell asleep before saying anything. 

“See? He is just a baby. What can he know?” Orson seemed a little nervous, “And please don’t tell Tarkin – you are used to telling him everything. He is always suspicious.”

“I won’t. We are friends.” Brendol nodded. He hugged his son tightly. “Bye.”

Silence covered the shuttle when they came back to Arkanis. Armitage woke up while his mother took him from Brendol’s arms. “Did Director Krennic know Armie could speak?”

“He knew more,” Brendol answered briefly.

When waking up again, Armitage found himself back to his home. He sat up from the cradle, seeing his mother sleeping sweetly. However, Brendol was still awake, standing still in front of the huge window of their bedroom. He seemed thinking something.

“Papa?” Armitage asked quietly. Brendol turned to him, “Are you calling me, son?”

Armitage nodded, stared at his father. They were really the same as one, cold, clever and courageous. But Brendol was much better at hiding himself than Armitage was, even the 35-year-old Armitage. That made him wonder: what made his father, and what made him.

“Who told you Death Star will explode?” Brendol hugged him in his arms, and Armitage just shrugged as a reply. The older Hux smiled, “You are cleverer than me. Let me guess: you find a traitor.”

Armitage nodded again to make sure his father got the whole information he wanted to tell. Brendol signed, “that man must be Galen Erso. Am I right?”

The younger Hux watched his father in shock. “Why don’t you stop this conspiracy?” He asked in mind, with eyes opened unbelieved. He yelled as questioned his father, but Brendol only patted him, “I already knew him, and he wasn’t able to sabotage the project, I promise.”

Armitage shook his head as disagreement. Brendol put him back into the cradle, shaking him softly. He hummed a lullaby to Armitage and smiled, “You are just a baby. You can’t understand it. If Orson could eliminate him, everything would be different.”

I need to warn him. Armitage didn’t want to know why Director Krennic valued this traitor or why Brendol kept this as a secret, he only urged to let Brendol know there was a fatal flaw in the core of Death Star.

How could I stop this traitor? Armitage thought anxiously, he grabbed Brendol’s sleeve. A thought flashed in his brain, Armitage yelled, “V – Va –”

Vader was against this project. Armitage remembered his grandson mentioned it to him when they decided to build Starkiller. Then he signed Vader’s grandson, Kylo Ren, Ben Solo.

Armitage couldn’t help but remembered the red lightsaber, the snowy woods, and the man lying on the ground. He thought if Kylo Ren was here, with his mind-read ability, the communication would be much easier.

His death was partly because of this man, so he should be as far from Kylo Ren as possible. Nevertheless, it was his reason that told him to do so. His emotion told him not to give up Kylo Ren.

“Are you crying, my darling?” Brendol noticed his son was unusual. The baby didn’t make a loud noise, but only shed tears silently. His intuition told himself this was not an infant’s behavior. He held Armitage more closely, seeing the sorrow and pain deep in the aqua blue eyes.

Brendol murmured, “Maybe we should find the Sith Lord Vader.” He called two troopers came into the bedroom to protect them. “We are going to Mustafar. Notify pilots and the officers in Vader’s palace.”

“But General Hux, I don’t think it’s a good time to disturb Lord Vader.”

“I have the privilege to disturb Lord Vader any time.”


	5. The Force

5.

Mustarfar.

Armitage couldn’t imagine that his father really owned this privilege to see Vader as long as he wanted. In his last life, he believed Brendol was only an ordinary man fortunate enough to stand on the right side. He was lack of courage, escaping from one place to another.

Lava on the surface took the uncomfortable feeling to Armitage. In his last time of life, Brendol always trained him painfully, shouting at him every time he cried.

“Coward.” Brendol said, “How can you survive after my death?”

...After my death...

Armitage hated him because of this cruel training for a long time. But this time, he suddenly realized maybe Brendol wanted to teach him something by the cruel training - something about surviving.

And more.

“General Hux, Lord Vader may see you.” An old man in dark probe said. Brendol nodded, “Thank you.” His voice was low and gentle, but there wasn’t any flattering part. Armitage thought he was very different from talking with those Grand Admirals with fawning on them to get little things of their charity.

Also, this is his last life, and Brendol was subservient and servile to everyone stronger than him, but furious to his own son. Who was his real father? That clown, or this general? Armitage confused.

At the same time, This man took them waiting in the hall. The light of Vader’s palace was dim, and Armitage couldn’t help but cried out. He sweared this was just a body reflection because the lower air pressure made his ears hurting.

“Oh, oh, my darling, don’t cry, papa is here.” Brendol seemed to face a dilemma: he wanted Armitage to be quiet, but he didn’t want him to sleep.

“I’m OK, papa.” Armitage said in his mind, and put his hand on Brendol’s face, trying his best to give his father some support and comfort. They shared the same pale skin and cold eyes, but this time, Armitage felt warm from his father.

What if ... what if I hugged him and showed my support to him in my last life? Armitage thought. Maybe he wouldn’t be a crazy man. I should have realized we only had each other that time. 

Brendol hugged his son more tightly until Vader came here. This Sith was high and Dark, with a hugh amount of machines on his body. Armitage only saw his helmet in Kylo Ren’s room, so he felt uncomfortable with Vader.

Kylo Ren was totally different from Vader, he didn’t get anything from his grandfather except the Force. Armitage fell into the old memories again until his father’s voice pulled him up, “Lord Vader, my son keeps telling me the Death Star will explode because of Galen Erso.”

“Your son is much more clever than that Krennic idiot.” Vader laughed in a cold tune, with electric sound in it.

“He isn’t an idiot, but loves Galen Erso.” Brendol explained for his friend.

“His stupid love will kill himself.” Vader said as talking a joke. However, he turned to Brendol, “Don’t worry about him. Just take care yourself. Now you are not only yourself, but a father with a son.”

Sounded like ... Armitage stopped his thinking, since Vader asked another question, “who is his the other parent?”

“A cook girl in my house. Governor Tarkin saw her before, and ISB said she was clear.”Brendol answered.

“But I feel the Force inside your son.” Vader said, “his Force isn’t strong - even can be find to exist, but he does have the Force. I suspected it before, however, there’s only one explanation for what he told you - he can forecast the future and tell you these thing, because he wants to protect you.”

Brendol signed, “Still thank you, Lord Vader. Will you talk to Governor Tarkin? Maybe you can persuade him to postpone the Death Star’s work?”

“Or fix the problem.”Vader said.

Armitage was satisfied that they planned to eliminate the traitor and rearranged the entire work. It was just for his life, not for his father, and of course there was nothing about love. He said in mind. But he was too tired to do anything, so Armitage just fell asleep.


	6. Spy

6.

After visiting Darth Vader and going back to Arkanis, Armitage had a few good day with his parents.

Springs in Arkanis were always short and precious, with different species of orchid blossoms looking like sunset glow. In this swamp planet, sunset glow was rare to see, so Armitage’s mother liked to put some flowers to decorate Armitage’s cradle.

“The fragrance is good for the kid’s lung, and the iridescent colors can help his eyes keep healthy.” She said. “What do you think of it, General Hux?”

“You are the expert of babysitting.”Brendol smiled, “I trust you.”

Brendol was caught by some illness again, half-lying on his bed. Armitage often enjoyed the smelling of those orchids in his cradle, then came back and slept near his right hand so that it was convenient for Brendol to caress his son softly.

He followed a frequency of sea wave during moonrise, which was suddenly jumped into Armitage’s memory: this frequency was familiar and Brendol did caress him when he slept in his last life.

It was a rainy day and they were already left Arkanis. They just stopped escaping from the New Republic or some other enemies, and got a rare opportunity to rest. Armitage was too tired to keep awake. Although he was still frightened of Brendol, he still fell in asleep quickly.

When he finally woke, they were on the shuttle again and began another escape. Brendol hugged him and patted him in this frequency, softly and gently, like an endless sea surrounding him.

Armitage understood something after he became an adult. When you are facing an existential crisis, it is difficult to maintain a good attitude.

“You and me, we both deserve happiness.” He wanted to tell Brendol.

Now that they didn’t need to worry about anything of the traitor, the Death Star or the way to sursvive, Armitage spent a lot of time enjoying this peace, playing with his mom.

His father didn’t take part in any conference, but he seemed to know every secret in the Empire and have right to see everyone. Armitage couldn’t help but think what was his real position.

Or what did he do?

Another thing that bothered Armitage was Brendol’s questions. Now Brendol liked reading some materials to him. Armitage wanted to get more information about the Empire and Rebels, however, Brendol kept telling him something false in the true. Usually, the false information was a key while those true were trivial.

This absolutely increased the difficulty for Armitage to know what happened now since he didn’t read all the documents of the Empire in his last life. So sometimes he couldn’t judge what Brendol told him was right or wrong. 

On the other hand, Grand Moff Tarkin never came to Arkanis to talk with Brendol or him. This was weird, because as the documents said, Grand Moff Tarkin regarded the Death Star as important as his life, no reason he didn’t care about what Armitage said.

However, he didn’t come here at all.

“Maybe they don’t believe me.” Armitage thought restlessly. He didn’t still focus on Brendol, but tore the petals of the orchids near his cradle.

Suddenly, something with a little silver light caught his concentration. Armitage wiped other flowers and got that one. He tried to observe it in detail, so he just moved it to his eyes.

This was a New-Republic-made detectaphone, a bug that could record all the sound in this bedroom. In his last life, Resistance got secrets by these bugs.

There was a spy here! Armitage realized. Brendol noticed this small bug, took it from Armitage’s hand.

Then his eyesight turned cold and sharp, as a predator having caught the prey, the eyesight Armitage was familiar with: “finally.”


	7. Lost & Love

Armitage thought his father did things in a strange way: he kept talking with Armitage about some fake information, especially about the Rebellion while he tried to write something on his PADD and let Armitage to read it, even though such a little baby shouldn’t have read anything.

Could I showed I understood what he wrote? Armitage thought in his mind. His hesitation was into his father’s eyes, and Brendol fell into consideration.

“Ah.”Finally Armitage decided to treat his father like what he wanted to be treated. He moved his eyesight from what he read to Brendol, and made a suspicious noise. 

“Papa?”He asked, pointing the words.

“We’d like to begin our experiment of Stardust in Lothal.”Surprisingly, Brendol seemed to notice nothing about Armitage, and just keep talking. Armitage felt both confused and angry, because he saw the message said: “Don’t show the power of DS-1.”

“Ah!” He shouted to Brendol, hoping his father would realized these mistakes. However, the man just give him a stupid response: “You must be hungry! Some yummy blue milk?” Brendol cried in a dramatic voice.

Armitage rolled his eyes. His father was abnormal now. So Armitage huddled up to sleep, only left an angry back to Brendol. Before falling to asleep, he felt his mother came and kissed him.

The answer was disclosed in the next day. ISB leader with his death troopers suddenly came to Arkanis, and Brendol talked with that old man in white: “Admiral Yularen.”

Armitage noticed the military rank on his white uniform. He was not Admiral, just a Colonel, and this made Armitage doubt there was something wrong in his father’s brain more. However, he quickly remembered who was Yularen: the man who established ISB, and he had been Admiral in Republic.

So his father wasn’t mad at all and Yularen preferred “Admiral” to “Colonel”. Armitage thought this obviously pleased the leader of ISB. Getting along with the leader of intelligence was always a wise choice, and his father seemed to be familiar with Yularen before the Galaxy Empire founded. 

“Brenny, your son is very clever, isn’t he?” The old officer smiled and said, “Orson told me he was a genius.”

“Forget what Orson Idiot Krennic said, Admiral. My son is just an ordinary boy.” Brendol answered in a humble attitude. “Today I invited you to Arkanis since there are some evidence about a spy living near us. ”

He showed the bugs to Yularen. Armitage was shocked by the number. Fifteen or sixteen, where did them come from and why didn’t he notice them? Then he called his troopers to take the spy here.

“Mommy!” When seeing who the spy was, Armitage could not help shouting.

“General Hux! There must be some misunderstanding,” the cook girl saw them and explained, “I don’t know why these troops caught me but I have no connection with Rebels!”

“I trusted you.” Brendol gave her the bugs, “at first I thought maybe spies put them in the orchids and you just didn’t know, until I knew the rebels in Lothal escaped. I broke the bug in flowers, so the only one who can come in our bedroom and listen to me is you, as Armie’s mother.”

“That’s right.” The cook girl gave up and said, “I’m the princess of one planet, where is suffering from the Empire. So I joined the Rebels and came here. But my love for you and Armie is true, General Hux.”

“Great and thanks for your love.” Brendol said calmly, “we have already destroyed a whole fleet of the rebellion in Lothal, and no one survived.”

“Go to hell, your devil.” Realizing she was deceived, she curse Brendol. However, the general was cold and peace, “call the troops to shoot her die and whoever finally kill her will get my awards.”

Armitage cried: “No! Mommy!” He could do nothing but being carried out by his father. Brendol talked to Yularen: “Please don’t tell anyone she is a traitor. It will influence Armie a lot.”

After Yularen was left and there was only Brendol and Armie, the father asked: “ Do you hate me?”

Armitage looked him angrily without a word.

“I think it’s unfair to me.” Brendol said peacefully, “she knew if she was caught by others, especially my enemies, or Rebels win the war, you and me will be killed. She didn’t take any care of your life, but you hate me for her?”

Armitage became silent. This was the first time he didn’t know what to do after his reborn. He wanted to save everyone, but until now, the only thing he had done successfully was hurting his father and kill his mother.

Should I continue? Armitage asked himself.


	8. The first order

In the few days later, Armitage couldn’t help but kept recalling his mother and how she took care of him, not only in this life, but also the last one. She had never angry to him, always smiling. When she patted him to sleep or fed him, she talked and sang in a soft voice.

However, Armitage remembered more: one day she disappeared suddenly, and Arkanis was invaded by New Republic in a few days. Then, after escaping from their planet, his father married with his step mother and began to abuse him.

In his last life, he didn’t realize the connection among these things. But now, since the secret of his mother was shown in front of him directly, he needed to think that his mother caused all tragedy. 

She betrayed, so Arkanis was attacked and Brendol’s army was destroyed by Rebels. Then Brendol could not do anything but to find a new umbrella to offer protection. Of course, his step mother’s family could give them this help. That was why Brendol married with her.

No wonder he hated me so much that time. Armitage thought in a mournful mind. He realized his father hated him might because of his mother, a traitor. 

Suddenly he felt sad and tired. It was not his fault to choose a traitor as his mother, but he totally understood his father. Armitage couldn’t help but recalled Kylo Ren. What was his feeling when he knew Kylo Ren betrayed him? He didn’t want to do anything but just revenge to Kylo.

No. He stopped this painful memory. It was his humiliation. However, he still began to snob in his cradle.

He found himself still loving Kylo Ren.

Brendol came in with a bunch of luminous orchids in his hand. He didn’t wear his uniform, and his hair was not combed with pomade either. He looked like an ordinary man but not an Imperial general today - more like his mother but not himself.

“Do you want to see your mom?” Brendol said, “I mean her grave.” 

Armitage shook his head. He agreed his father’s word: his mother didn’t consider his safety, so he should not love her or it would hurt his father. 

Beyond his expectation, Brendol smiled and put him into a floating pod: “Just go with me. I believe she wants to see you too.”

That cook girl was buried in a grassy massif surrounded by lot of flowers. It was sunset time when they came there, and Brendol sat near her grave. “I bring Armie to see you, and I’m sorry for not knowing your real name.” He said, and put the orchids near the tomb.

Armitage looked at him in hesitant. Brendol noticed this and turned to Armitage, “You seems like having a lot of questions, Armie.”

Armitage pointed the grave, pointed his father and asked, “love?” Because of his age, his “love” heard like “lolo” but Brendol got it: “No, I don’t want to hurt you but I never love her. I just like her and treat her as one of my best friends.”

These word made Armitage more confused, sitting in the floating pot and asked: “love?”

He wanted to ask Brendol if he has someone he loves, or had. Fortunately, his father guessed his question: “Do you want to know who is my true love? It’s not important. What’s important is to know who is in my first order.”

First Order. Armitage heard the familiar word, his tears falling down again.

“See, I know you still miss your mom,” Brendol smiled, “It’s okay. As long as you know what is your first order, it’s okay to love everyone. Actually it’s same to your mother. She might love us, but her first order is her damn silly Rebels.” He gave Armitage a bad example: “You Uncle Orson doesn’t know what’s his first order, so he cannot kill the traitor, and what Governor Tarkin can only do is to let me keep an eye on him. He has already been blind because of his love, without any way to save him. Same as Thrawn and Yularen, they devoted all their lives to finding Anakin.”

“However, I don’t. I’m sober.” Brendol said in a bitter voice. Armitage was confused again: he should be happy, he should be proud, but he should not be sad when talking this. Being sober was his advantage, and Tarkin believed him since this.

Brendol stopped this topic: “ I almost forget you are just a baby - you are a talent, but just a baby. It still need time and experience for you to understand these things.”

No, I understood. Armitage contradicted his father in mind. I had wrongly put Kylo Ren as my first order, no matter loved him or hated him, and now I would change.

“However, actually I hope you would never understand this and just be a happy innocent general. This progress is too painful for everyone to suffer. Therefore, I’ll protect you until I die.” Brendol touched Armitage’s forehead, with a warm eyesight, “you are my first order.”

Then his son burst to cry a lot. Armitage saw his father’s shocked face, and think: you are my first order too. I was cheated to move you away, but this time I wouldn’t make this mistake again.


End file.
